With cameras becoming smaller and more portable, cameras are being used more often and under more diverse circumstances. Various models of cameras are available with functions suitable to the needs of different consumer groups. For example, action cameras, sometimes called sport cameras, may be used to record high-speed actions.
Traditionally, to capture an image or video, the user needs to hold the body of the camera while operating the camera's functions, e.g., via buttons. While the camera functions are advancing and allowing users to take better images or videos, however, the need to hold the camera constrains the user's ability to participate in other activities while attempting to record events in action. The first challenge is to maintain the stability of the camera to optimize the clarity of the images or videos. The second challenge is to allow the user to operate the camera while concentrating on the ongoing activity.
When a user is engaged in an activity, such as a sporting or recreational event, for example, it is difficult to operate the camera simultaneously. Furthermore, the user may be required to operate the camera under adverse conditions, such as underwater or at high altitude, where the user is preoccupied with the activity itself and external factors (such as water current or wind condition) require the camera to be secured to the user. The need to hold the camera becomes unnecessarily burdensome, which could potentially jeopardize the safety of the user, and maintaining its stability during use becomes challenging.
Moreover, an action camera may often be used to capture a wide angle of view, such as in a panoramic shot. Prior art devices used to mount or secure a camera to the user are either complicated or cumbersome to attach, or they provide limited flexibility in terms of the ease of adjusting the angle or rotation of the camera. Therefore, a user's experience or preference with a camera may be reduced due to these difficulties or inconveniences.